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Southwest USA 2001
Colorado
(Page 5 of 6)
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Mesa Verde National Park
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Located in the extreme
southwest corner of Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park is a treasure
trove of cliff dwelling ruins.
Here is one of the valleys along which the
dwelling were constructed.
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This is one of the better preserved of the cliff
dwellings, known as Cliff Palace.
It has largely been left alone the way it was
discovered, although some reconstruction has been done, and much
rubble has been cleared away. It is now National Park policy to leave
sites such as this undisturbed.
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This is Square Tower House
ruin, named for the four-story tower in the center.
No one today knows why these dwellings were built
in such inaccessible locations, although speculation abounds.
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Spruce Tree House ruin. |
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Spruce Tree House up close.
It has been reconstructed quite a bit.
The people who occupied these cliff dwelling
suddenly departed the whole region around about the year 1300-1400,
for unknown reasons.
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There are also many ruins
on top of the cliffs.
Again, this adds to the mystery. Why
are there dwellings on top as well of the cliffs, as well as being
hidden part way up the cliffs within canyons?
The round structures are kivas, used for religious
ceremonial purposes, as well as day-to-day activities such as
grinding grains.
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A view from the top of the
mesas. |
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Wetherill Mesa. This part
of the park experienced a major forest fire last year (2000),
started by lightning.
If you look carefully you will see a ruin in the
right side of the overhang, in the center of the picture. |
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2001 tour: Previous
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